“The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old,” the president said, pausing to collect himself as tears began to stream from his eyes. “They had their entire lives ahead of them — birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own.”

The president noted that “among the fallen were also teachers, men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams. So our hearts are broken today — for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost.”